Police groups in Honduras refuse to suppress protesters during curfew

Ⓒ AFP – ORLANDO SIERRA – | Local residents welcome the members of the anti-riot police command COBRA as heroes, while the national police refuse to repress the demonstrators during a curfew in Tegucigalpa, on December 4, 2017

Hundreds of Honduran police officers refused on Monday to enforce the state of siege and to repress opposition protesters, who denounce a fraud in the elections on November 26.

Members of the „Cobras“, the special anti-riot squad, supported by preventive police, left their barracks in the north of the capital, to express their refusal to suppress demonstrators and enforce the curfew, after a wave of post-election demonstrations that ended in violent confrontations.

Ⓒ AFP – JOHAN ORDONEZ – | Local residents show signs with the inscriptions „We are good more“, „Thanks Cobras“, in reference to members of the anti-riot police command COBRA, on December 4, 2017 in Tegucigalpa

Hundreds of neighbors came to the place to applaud, some carrying banners with legends such as „I love the police.“

„The truth is that we do not want to continue fighting with the people,“ said an official, who covered his face with a balaclava.

At the time when the curfew came into effect, at 6:00 pm local time (00:00 GMT Tuesday), they began to arrive at the base of the effective Cobras of other police headquarters, in motorcycles and self-patrol in caravans and sounding the sirens, to give them their support.

„What we demand is that there be peace, that this problem be resolved and that there be no more death, more blood,“ demanded the officer, referring to the conflict over the elections.

But government officials downplayed the police protest and said they do so because of wage demands.

The Security Minister, Julián Pacheco, said at a press conference that the police were incited to rebel for a supposed delay in the payment of their salaries and bonuses, and said that the payments were made in order.

The elections plunged Honduras into chaos due to the delay in making the results known by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE).

The court concluded on Monday the vote count, with a slight advantage for President Juan Orlando Hernández over television presenter Salvador Nasralla, although he has not proclaimed a winner while resolving possible challenges.

Nasralla and members of his Alliance of Opposition Against the Dictatorship accuse the government of plotting a fraud in conspiracy with the TSE to ensure the reelection of Hernandez.

Police groups in Honduras refuse to suppress protesters during curfew was last modified: Dezember 5th, 2017 by Live